1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for allowing a user of a mobile terminal to call for a vacant or empty vehicle (e.g., a taxi) that is located within a predetermined distance from the user's mobile terminal, and the mobile terminal for implementing the method.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
In general, in order to allow a user or customer to use a vehicle calling service, the user must directly place a phone call to a center of the vehicle calling service, or must reserve a vehicle using a homepage or website provided by the vehicle calling center.
A plurality of vehicle drivers (e.g., a plurality of taxi drivers) have been registered as members in the vehicle calling center, such that the vehicle calling center can provide a user who calls for a vehicle with a suitable vehicle such as a taxi.
In more detail, the vehicle calling center records dispatch position information requested by the user, a phone number of the user, a user-requested arrival time, and the like, attempts to connect to a driver of the vehicle located closest to the user-requested dispatch position, and commands the driver to move or drive the vehicle to the dispatch-requested position so that the user can use the vehicle.
If the driver registered as a member in the vehicle calling center receives such a dispatch request signal from the vehicle calling center, then the driver directly places a phone call to the user so as to inform the user that the driver's vehicle is traveling to the dispatch position to pick up the user. After the driver's vehicle arrives at or near the dispatch position, the driver again has to make a phone call to the user so as to inform the user that the vehicle is at the location requested by the user and ready to pick up the user in need of the vehicle service. In this way, the conventional vehicle calling service has been used as described above.
However, the above-mentioned conventional vehicle calling service has a disadvantage in that the user who calls for a vehicle such as a taxi must remember a phone number of the vehicle calling center.
Further, in recent times, the number of crimes committed late at night by a few drivers who pick up women, elderly, handicapped, intoxicated passengers is rapidly increasing, such that many users or customers feel unsafe or unease about the use of the conventional vehicle calling service.